Dispensing or sifting package



July 25, 1950 c. H. LETscH nrsmsxus on Smm; PACKAGE Filed 06. 29. 1948 Hi 2 J. 1H. A m C MM/m rroaA/EVJ menten July 2s, 195o UNITED STATESPATENT oFFlcE DISPEN SIN G B SIFIING PACKAGE can n. Lenen, Lakesonkonkome, N. Y. Application October 29, 1948, Serial No. 57,297

2 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensers for dry comminuted or granular`material, and particularly to a special dispensing or sifting packagetherefor.

The main object of my invention is to provide a package or container fordry materials supplied to the market in pulverulent or granular form.the package being especially designed for dispensing the materialdirectly from the container for use.

Another object is to have a dispensing package or container of theindicated character provided with facilities for sifting the materialdispensed in order to ensure uniformity of the latter and freedom fromlumps or concretions. Y

- A further object is to have such a package or container provided witha covering applied by the manufacturer or packer for initially sealingthe contents and adapted to have a predetermined portion thereof torn oiby the consumer for dispensing from the package at will;

It is also an object to provide a package as outlined with amanually-movable closure means for selectively exposing the contents toa dispensing opening in the package or preventing egress of the contentsfrom the mentioned dispensing opening. y

A practical object is, of course. to have such a dispensing or siftingpackage which is cheap to make and simple and effective in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in furtherdetail as the speciiication proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for aproper appreciation of the salient features thereof, the inventionillus-- trated on the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing or sifting package madeaccording to the inve'ntion and embodyingthe same in a practical form,'the view showing the package opened in initial manner for dispensingthe contents therefrom; Figure 2 is an elevation of the same dispensingor sifting package with the outside wrapper removed:

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3 in Figure 2; l

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line l-I in the same Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevation of a manually-movable slider or closure membernormally forming part of the assemblage included in the term dispensingor sifting package," shown in Figures l toA 4.

In the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or likeparts.

There are various commodities on the market which may well be sold indispensing packages or at the present they may simply be found in sealedpackages which are to be cut or torn open for removing the contents to adispensing container of more or less conventional design, but thissometimes entails waste of the commodities by only partial use and therest being allowed to stand and become lumpy or otherwise unfit for useby exposure to dampness, dust or the like. On the other hand, it isself-evident that the necessity for breaking the original package andentirely removing the contents to a dispensing container is a step whichcould be omitted if the original package could be used also fordispensing the contents thereof directly for use.

Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to me that the packagefor most comminuted material, such as iiour, water base paints, plasteror many other such commodities, and granular material such as sugar andthe like, could well be of such nature that if a portion of the originalcovering of the package is simply removed, the latter might be used fordirectly dispensing the material within the same in a well-regulatedmanner to provide accurate dispensing of exact amounts of the mentionedcontents. As a result. I have succeeded in producing a dispensing orsifting package which serves as an original package in which thecomminuted or granulated commodities may be sold and also serves fordispensing the contents thereof in convenient manner, as will now bemore fully explained.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and 'referring again' to thedrawing, a dispensing package or container, generally indicated at 6, isof substantially rectangular form and provided with an outside covering1 of paper or other vmaterial upon the upper portion of one side ofwhich are arranged a group of tear lines or perforations indicated at 8,8, so that a, tab 9 is readily torn out from said side, the tab inFigure 1 being shown partly torn and about to be torn completely awayfrom the covering 1 to expose an opening I0 in the side Il of thecontainer proper. In this opening a fabric, metal, plastic,

or other screen I2 is either secured within the opening I0 or forms partof the side Il so that in fact the opening lil and screen I2 may evenconsist of a perforated area upon the side Il. Within the mentionedopening I0 and screen or mesh I2 is located a vertically-slidableclosure member or panel I3 having a tab Il at the upper end thereof bywhich to manipulate the sliding member Il through an upwardly-open slotI in the top -II of the container.

If desired, the weakened or perforated tearing lines l. l, etc., may becontinued up over the forward. edge I1 of the top I8 of the wrapping Ito expose slot I5 and also expose the tab Il which may normally occupythe horizontal position indicated at I9. On the other hand, the

tab I 9 and the upper end of slidable closure member or panel I3 mayV beaccessible independently through the covering 'l in the top I8 thereofthrough an independent cut or slot so that the tab may be erected toiorm the normal tab Il by which to draw the panel I3 up or down as thecase may be. Due to the presence of the screen I2 or the area ofperforations in box wall II, the contents dispensed from opening I0 willat all times be sifted and free from lumps, fragments or concretions,and thus smooth, uniform and free flowing.

As best seen in Figure 5, the closure member or slide I3 has an upperclosed or blank area 2B, while beneath the latter and extending almostto the bottom is a row of transverse apertures 2l, 2l, etc., disposed ineffective position to be drawn upwardly with the slide to register atleast in large part with the opening II in the working side or end ofthe container which may generally be indicated at 22. The length of theseries or row of apertures 2i, 2| is such, however, that although whenthe closure member or slide I3 occupies its lowest position in whichth'e lower end 23 thereof is adjacent to the bottom 24 of the container22, the closed or blank portion 20 of member I3 will completely blockthe opening Il and prevent any of the contents of the container fromreaching the screen or mesh I2 in said opening, or in any manner issuingfrom the latter. If the slide panel or member I3 is raised merely ashort distance by manipulating the tab Il, as indicated in broken linesin Figure 2, and also in full lines in Figure 1, only a few of thetransverse and inclined apertures 2I, 2| in member I3 will register withthe opening I0 so that a limited amount of contents of the package maybe dispensed by holding it in such position that the sidewall thereoffaces downward, or is at least inclined in a downward direction. Infact, the speed of delivery of the comminuted or granular materialthrough the screen mesh I2 in opening I0 can be nicely regulated by thedegree of elevation imparted to panel I3. Naturally, if

the box or container. Likewise, the row of openings 2I is elongated andextends over most of the length of the slide I3. The row oi' openings 2lis more than twice as long as the height of the opening I0 covered bythescreen I2. The arrangement is such that the tab Il may be held forreciprocating the slide I3 longitudinally with the row of openings 2Iarranged adjacent to the opening III. When this mode of operation isfollowed, the elongated row of openings 2l will coact with the screen I2for eillciently sifting the powdered contents of the `box into acontainer or the like when the opening I0 ls held downwardly. Since therow of openings 2I is substantially longer than the height of theopening I0, the length of reciprocation or stroke of the slide I3 may beconsiderable, and the sifting action will continue as long as anyPortion of the row of opening 2i is adjacent to the opening I0. lSincethe openings 2I are inclined or slanting transversely, as clearly shownin Figure 5. the powdered contents of the box adjacent to the slide I3and screen I2 will be shifted both longitudinally and transversely overthe screen I2 by the slide I3. This compound movement of the adjacentlayer of powdered material over the screen I2 which is caused by theinclined openings 2l when the slide I3 is reciprocated results in a veryeffective sifting action.

The box or container 22 may be a carton of paper, cardboard or othercellulosic material suillciently rigid to hold its shape, or any othermaterial which will serve the purpose, and simithe latter is raised tosuilicient height, there will be a suiicent number of the apertures 2|registering therewith to allow maximum delivery of the contents throughthe screen I2, the degree of elevation not being too important inasmuchas the row of apertures on panel I3 is so long that when once the entirescreen I2 in the opening Il registers with a number of the apertures,such position of the opening with respect to `these apertures can occurin various positions along the series.

In any event, when the closure panel or member I3 is pushed down to itslowest position, as

already mentioned, the imperforate closed poi-f tion 2II thereof willregister with and cover opening I0. and prevent any further delivery ofmaterial through the screen in the opening I0. so that for all purposes,a container or box 22 is then closed until further quantities of thecontents will be needed.

As clearly shown in the drawings, the slide I3 e is elongated and nearlyas long as the height of lar remarks apply to the closure member orpanel I3. The outside wrapper 1, as already intimated, may be of paper,or even plastic material, or any other sheet material used forpackaging, whether opaque, translucent or transparent, while the screenI2I may be metal or fabric mesh or perforated card or paper applied tothe inside of wall II, or else integral with and forming part of saidwall and simply consist of an area of perforations in said wall, if sodesired. On the other hand, if desired, a portion of panel I3 may have aplain large opening corresponding to opening Ill in addition to theseries of transverse inclined apertures 2l, 2|, so that it will bepossible to use either the regulating or limited opening area affordedby a group of the latter when they completely register with opening I0,or else have this opening completely exposed to the contents for maximumdelivery through the same. As this feature is so obvious upon meremention thereof that it is clearly nothing more than the enlargement ofone of the several apertures now shown in the series, it is thoughtsuperfluous to illustrate.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and parts and features may bemodiiied further or used without others within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim: ,l

1. A combined carton and sifter for finely divided material, comprisinga box including a substantially dat side and ends, one end beingprovided with a narrow slot arranged near and slightly inwardly of theflat side, the flat side having a relatively large opening near its endadjacent to the slot, a sifting screen secured to the flat side adjacentto and covering the relatively large opening of the flat side, and asubstantially flat elongated slide mounted within the box adjacent tothe inner face of the substantially ilat side and extending sldablythrough the slot, the slide being provided with an elongated row ofseparate longitudinally spaced openings, the row of openings beingsubstantially longer than the length of the relatively large opening inthe ilat side, whereby the slide may be reciprocated longitudinally whenthe row of openings is adjacent to the relatively large opening forsifting the contents of the box through the screen.

2. A combined carton and sifter for nely divided material, comprising asubstantially rectangular box including a substantially fiat side andends. one of said ends being provided with a transverse narrow slotarranged adiacent to and slightly inwardly of the flat side, the latside being provided near its end adjacent to the mounted within the boxadjacent to the inner face of the at side and adapted to extend slidablythrough said slot, one end portion of the slide being imperforate andadapted to completely cover the opening of the dat side when the slideis in an inner inoperative position, the slide being provided adjacentto its opposite end with an elongated longitudinal row of separatelongitudinally spaced transversely inclined elongated sifting apertures,the row of sifting apertures being substantially longer than the lengthof the opening in the at side, whereby the slide may be reciprocatedover the opening in the dat side with a long stroke for sifting thecontents of the box.

CARL H. LETSCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 887,760 Blood May 10, 19081,902,324 Dreux Mar. 21, 1933 2,224,495 Wiggins Dec. 10, 1940 2,283,245White May 19, 1942 2,431,786 Williamson Dec. 2, 1947

